Aftermath

Gainesville

Finished the post-guest clean-up, including our own sheets and towels, plus a load of whites. After sharing the master bathroom with Bill for a couple of days and enjoying the large shower, I decided to listen to Bill's urging and try sharing it permanently. Should make it easier to keep that bathroom clean on a daily basis, and leave the other once company ready with minimal maintenance. Spent time making it habitable for me-- cleaned some parts of the shower that the automatic cleaner does not reach, and cleaning the mirror so I can see myself-- I don't think it had EVER been cleaned! A few more things still to do, but I think it may work.

Put about five arm-loads of catalogs, all unread, into the recycle bin-- I guess that counts as a 5-minute room rescue, although it took longer than that. Had planned to spend 15 minutes decluttering the SE corner of the kitchen, but ran out of time.

Made Leanne's signature "Garlic Lime Chicken," which is amazingly good, and so easy-- no chopping! Bill loved it, and asked me to email it to Doug, who's doing his own cooking until the rest of the family move to Atlanta in December.

Watching Seattle dismember Oakland, enjoying a drink. Think I've finally figured out how to manage my work email via Thunderbird. Been trying to do it using the webmail interface, but it's just too slow and clunky. It's now in such a mess I can't even dismiss calendar reminders, let alone send mail from it. I don't care about most of it, but I do want to keep up with the comics scholars list.

So tomorrow is Vote Day. I have seen hardly any campaign ads on the tube-- they don't seem to do much of that on football, and that's all I watch. Will do my civic duty around 10, then a major errand run. Have a bunch of checks to deposit, including (finally) some of yours, Mom-- be prepared for a sudden hit to the checking account. Our bank of choice is at the other end of town, alas. Sorry to do this just when you're dealing with medical expenses. It's crazy that hospital stays should cost so much.

I also hope to pick up Adri's new book (have you started it yet?), Stephen King's new one, Lisey's Story, and the sure-to-be-fabulous Absolute Sandman. Need some new sneaks too-- my daily lace-ups are in tatters.

The new WIRED magazine has a feature where about 30 writers contribute short stories six words long. Many are wonderful, but my two favorites:

Epitaph:
Foolish humans,
never escaped
Earth.
-- Vernor Vinge

Longed for him.
Got him.
Shit.
--Margaret Attwood

Time for a refill.